The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-16
WORK OF THE GAS HUNTERS
Another of the Twelfth-Street Wells
Proves Failure and Is Abandoned.
The Capital City Company Will Begin Lay
ing Pipes in Three Weeks if Sufficient
Gas for Supplying the City Is Found.

have been highly encouraged by their recent dis
coveries, the Twelfth-street company yesterday
after boring patiently and hopefully /, 100 feet
into the earth, gave mp tho experiment It
started with the earliest organizations to pros
pect for gas. but bad luck attended its work.
After pushing through drift and shale to within
few feet of Trenton rock in its first
we'll. the driti stuck aud resisted
all attempts to get it out. Thus delayed
for several weeks. the company made no progress
until it recommended it's work few feet from
the first boring. For about $50 feet the drill
went nicely and without obstruction until it
struck pocket of silicate The drill again be-
came stubborn, and finally held fast to the rock.
This we'll had to be abandoned, and the third,
not far from the second, was begun. A week
ago the drill reached Trenton rock without
any sign of gas, but acting upon
the old adage, 'in for penny in for pound"
the directors ordered the drllers to continue un-
til the rock was proved gas-producing or not 1t
was their PURPOSE to give the rock a test which
it has not had under like circumstances. The
drill went $50 feet into rock. yielding nothing
valuable. not even speck of oil or drop OF wa.
ter. Yesterday the machinery was taken away.
but the directors have decided to continue their
experiment in a spot three miles northeast, ~.
Ing between the canal and the river. Work Will
there begin in few days.
The Capital City people have 80 much conf
dence in the value OF their three thousand acres,
as shown by the Smart-farm cusher, that they
are readily paying into the companys treasury
to start the drilling of tour wells work on which
~ to be commenced ~ once. This company ne
gan its prospecting with funds supplied by sixty
paid In 500 The Brsnswo ,H we'll used a por.
ton Of the $4,000 thus secured The Wolf
farm we'll made another drain on 1t.
and tho Lawrence and Smart farm
behring's nearly wiped out the remainder. In the
meantime twenty new subscribers came into the
company, and their money gives tho oreaniza-
ton something Of surplus. II was not enough.
though, to continue the work, which the Smart
farm discovery warranted. Since the gusher
came the financial interests of the company have
been strengthened without any difficulty. III
deed, there never any trouble 20 get money.
butt Smart well has madeseveral moneyed men
anxious for . share or two In the Capital City
Many were informed that they can como in on
terms accorded the Old stockholders, none OF
whom can hold more than two shares. Enough
money is now available to bore four now wells,
and II they prove ~ successful a: the smart
farm gushsr the capital stock will be increased
SO as TO permit piping. As the right OF way to
the city has been secured all that is necessary 10
make the Capital City a piping company 10 two
maintains its excellence a producer
With tho Indianapolis Natural-gas Company
affairs are equally promising The value OF
clined TO estimate by approximation or definite
statement. They say in general terms that it is
twice as good as the Harris-farm well, and that
the two yield between 5000 900 and 6,000.0 900
feet per day. It IS enough to convince them,
they say. that in the same neighbor hood enough
gas can be found within two three weeks to
supply one-third OF the city before winter.
Three now wells about to be bored, ono at
New Britain, another at the Fisher farm and
the third at a spot three miles northeast of
Fishers Station. or this group OF wells the
one furthest north is within three miles of No
blesvile, while the most southerly one is
seven miles from that place. AT the New Brit
ain we'll it is expected Trenton rock will be
reached some time during the coming week. If
il Ia equal to either tho Fisher Station or Har-
ris-farm yields. the company will begin its ar
rangements for piping to the city
So far nothing has been done definitely as to
pany has that part of it's business in such shape
as to overcome obstacles that have been sug-
gested. The prospective difficulties it 10 said,
appear in tendency Of property owners to ask
again it is intimated that they will resist any
grant free roads the commissioners may
undertake to make. However, the company
seems to understand what it is about AS
will DO no great difficulty about
the right of way. and a. for money, we can
get tbs full $500 600 required just as soon as we
have enough gas to supply one-third Of the city
Before frost, connections between the wells and
fifteen miles OF pipe already laid in the city
will be made This city system. az it now is
consists, Of course, of the pipes put down for
the new gas company some years ago. They
will be fully tested, and believe they are just
as safe any pipes can be. The same system of
pipes is used in other cities for natural gas. II
the three new wells come in all right. the work
Of piping to the city will begin within three
weeks"
L. R. Easterlaks and some other local CAPT
talists are about to commence boring for gas at
few miles north of the city.
A good flow of gas has been struck at Hagers-
town at depth of 900 feet.